16,847 per game
16,847 per game
Again the Tigers find themselves in a tight pennant race as Hal Newhouser wins 25 games with a 1.81 ERA to claim his 2nd straight MVP. The MVP win for Newhouser makes him the first pitcher to win back-to-back MVP, and only the 2nd to win 2. (No one has accomplished either feat since). As for the pennant hopes the Tigers would get a boost when Hank Greenberg returned to play the in the 2nd half after Adolph Hitler was defeated. Fate would intervene to help Detroit, as the Washington Nationals, who led the AL were forced to sit and watch the final week of the season. Prior to the season Nats ownership decided to end the season a week early to ready their stadium for football. The move would backfire, as the Tigers were able to surged ahead and claim their 7th AL Pennant with an 88-65 record. In the World Series the Tigers would face a familiar opponent in the Chicago Cubs. The Tigers would get off on the wrong foot has Hal Newhouser was shelled in Game 1 and the Cubs took the first game 9-0. Fortunately, the Tigers would bounce back to win Game 2 thanks to a 3-run Homer from Hank Greenberg. After the Cubs won Game 3 the Tigers would bounce back to claim both Games 4 and 5 to take a 3-2 series lead. However a wild Game 6 would see the Cubs win in the 9th on Stan Hack's line double to force a 7th and deciding game. However, Game 7 would not even be close as the Tigers jumped on Cubs pitcher Hank Doorway to score 5 runs without the durable Cubs pitcher recording an out in the 1st. Newhouser would go on to pitch a complete game as the Tigers won 9-3 to claim their 2nd World Championship.